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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29892144">Faded Memories Lingering</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/diamondforger/pseuds/diamondforger'>diamondforger</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kamen Rider Decade</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, M/M, Spoilers of Decade vs Zi-o</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 08:53:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,548</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29892144</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/diamondforger/pseuds/diamondforger</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Yuusuke's just like Tsukasa's remembers him.  Only older, and less bright.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kadoya Tsukasa/Onodera Yuusuke</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Makin' Progress March</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Faded Memories Lingering</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p></p><div>
  <p>Yuusuke lit up when he saw Tsukasa.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>It wasn’t a surprise. It shouldn’t have been a surprise. They hadn’t parted on bad terms after all. But it had been a long time since someone had smiled at Tsukasa like that.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Yuusuke hadn’t changed. He was older, but the brightness he brought to the air around him was just the same. Maybe a little duller now, but that was to be expected.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Tsukasa wished he could say the same about himself. He was older too, but in the worn down way. He was old and tired and he missed bright youthful optimism that radiated from Yuusuke’s smile.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He wanted to capture it while they were on the same side. And he did when Yuusuke sat down next to him. It was poor lighting and he was sure he caught the man mid expression, but it wouldn’t matter. The picture wouldn’t develop properly anyways. They’d only been getting worse in the years since he’d left home.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I’ve missed you.” Yuusuke was sincere and kind, but he wasn’t stupid. There was a question in his smile. He could tell something was wrong.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>It was a pity that it had to come to this. Yuusuke didn’t have what it took to make the hard decision. He didn’t have what it took to know that the sweet faced teenager was far more of a threat than Tsukasa had ever been.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>And that was a good thing. Tsukasa could bear the burden of being the villain for both of them. He’d long since given up on his happily ever after.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He’d given up on being happy, but there was still some selfishness in him. A lot of selfishness.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He couldn’t keep Yuusuke. The selfless thing to do would be to push him away. But when night fell and the kids all drifted to sleep, Tsukasa did the opposite of that.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He leaned in close, tracing the line of Yuusuke’s chin with a finger.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“You say you’ve missed me,” Tsukasa whispered, “How badly?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Yuusuke kissed him. No teasing, no pretense. Just closed the distance and kissed him deep.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Tsukasa should have been prepared for that. Yuusuke had never been one to tease.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>It still took Tsukasa’s breath away. He could have collapsed against Yuusuke in that moment. He could have cried right on the spot.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Instead he tugged Yuusuke out of his chair and lead him to the bedroom. Yuusuke followed. Of course he followed. Tsukasa didn’t know why he’d expected a rejection. He’d almost hoped for one.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>It would have made this easier.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>When they reached the bed Tsukasa fell back on it, sprawling dramatically. The bed creaked loudly and they both froze. After several moments of silence, they could assume no one had woken up.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Yuusuke crawled onto the bed much slower. The springs still creaked as he sat himself between Tsukasa’s legs.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Yuusuke had always been warm. Being Kuuga meant he ran hotter. It made him unbearable to touch in the heat of summer but a welcome warmth in the cold night. It was more than welcome now.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Looks like sex is off the table unless we want to wake the whole building,” Yuusuke kissed Tsukasa’s cheek.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Tsukasa rolled his eyes and Yuusuke smiled bright again. He kissed Tsukasa's forehead and nose and chin.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>It was a very Yuusuke way to tease.  An act of sincere affection that he knew would only frustrate the person he was with.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>In another time, Tsukasa would have complained and pushed for more, but he was too tired to do that now.  He lay back and let Yuusuke mouth and hands wander over him.  It was almost like in old days when they were young and still learning each other's bodies.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Tsukasa was slow to touch Yuusuke.  He wasn't the type for holding and cuddling.  Yuusuke was always the one that pushed for casual touch.  The man wasn't pushing for it now, but Tsukasa remembered what he liked.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Yuusuke shuddered as Tsukasa's fingers scratched the sensitive spot at the nape of his neck and teased the line of the amadam at his waist.  He went to trace a familiar scar on Yuusuke’s hip, but it wasn’t there anymore. Not surprising, given Kuuga’s regenerative ability, but oddly disappointing. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Tsukasa whispered in Yuusuke's ear.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I've missed you too," Yuusuke's breath caught Tsukasa's teeth scraped his neck.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Show me how much you've missed me," Tsukasa said, as he pulled off Yuusuke's shirt.  </p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
</div><div>
  <p>"Please tell me you have a plan." Yuusuke's eye's were wide.  Not with fear.  He'd seen plenty of death already.  It was a sort of desperation that told Tsukasa the man had finally realized the implications of the game.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I have to drag out the true Sougo," Tsukasa said, not looking at Yuusuke, "So I can't afford to loose. No matter what game." </p>
</div><div>
  <p>He risked a glance at Yuusuke.  Instead of anger, he was greeted with an odd almost smile.  "So you're declaring war?" Yuusuke said in a quiet voice.  His eyes sparkled with intensity as Tsukasa's eyes dropped to the hickey just barely showing above Yuusuke's collar.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Tsukasa supposed he should be happy at the reaction.  No anger, no resentment about the nature of the situation they were in.  Still it felt strange.  Strange that age had changed his sweet Yuusuke so drastically.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Had something happened when he was away? If he'd been a better man he would have asked the previous night instead of looking for reconnection on his knees.  </p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
</div><div>
  <p>“To protect all worlds, individual deaths,” Tsukasa leaned back, face neutral, "are insignificant."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Yuusuke didn’t say anything. He didn’t make a move to contradict the statement like Tsukasa had hoped. Instead he turned away. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>So Tsukasa had been right. He'd been hoping so badly for a fight.  Hoping so badly for an argument where Yuusuke would take him down a peg and explain how to fix this situation without bloodshed.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>It'd been naive to hope for that.  Tsukasa needed to stop living in the past.  He couldn't expect Yuusuke to be an perpetual optimist. Not after everything they'd seen.   </p>
</div><div>
  <p>It should be a relief that Yuusuke agreed death was the only way to solve the Sougo problem. Because it was the only way.  </p>
  <p>So why did it only make Tsukasa feel worse?  </p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
</div><div>
  <p>Metal clanged against metal as Tsukasa blocked the axe swinging down at his head.  So it hadn't been his Yuusuke.  Of course it hadn't been him.  Tsukasa should have seen that.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>It was so obivous now.  The way the man's face twisted and the grating anger in his voice.  Had this Yuusuke just been a good actor or had Tsukasa just been that stupid to miss everything? </p>
</div><div>
  <p>There wasn't much time to ponder that.  This Yuusuke was nearly as good a fighter and his own. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Which was to say, not to be taken lightly, but still easy enough to disarm and bring to his knees.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You're not the Onodera Yuusuke I know," he said, knife inches from Yuusuke's throat.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>It would be so easy to end it there.  He could kill this impostor with a quick flick of the blade and win the game.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>He could do it easily. It was something he'd known he'd need to do from the moment he saw Yuusuke.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>So why couldn't he do it? He'd been prepared to fight the Yuusuke he knew.  Why did seeing this stranger looking up at him through his lover's eyes make him pause? </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The price for his hesitation was a stab to his gut.  This new Yuusuke was fast.  He didn't hesitate to drive his knife deep in Tsukasa's stomach.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>It'd been a mistake.  Tsukasa winced as he tried to stem the bleeding soaking his shirt.  Caring had been a mistake.  Just another weakness to be used against him.  </p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
</div><div>
  <p>Tsukasa woke up in a familiar bed.  Or a bed that had been familiar once.  There were new sheets and the blanket was covered in unfamiliar patches.  The curtains of the room were different, an annoying shade of purple that blocked out most of the sun streaming through the windows.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Tsukasa eased himself upright.  His stab wound was bandaged and he could already feel it healing. His body didn't keep damage around for long.  Especially not between worlds.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>There were voices coming from the hallway.  Familiar voices.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Yuusuke's voice had been familiar too. Familiar until it wasn't.  Familiar until an axe had been inches from sinking into his skull.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Tsukasa eased himself out of bed.  He knew this building.  Even years later he could remember how to avoid the creaking floorboards as he inched out of his old room and into the hallway.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>He could smell coffee. The exact type of coffee he liked.  He ignored it and snuck past the kitchen door, not even daring to look at the people standing there. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>He made it to the front door and paused. He should go.  He should leave and finish his mission before he got sucked in. </p>
  <p>He should leave.  But he didn't want to.  He could stay.  Just for a couple minutes.  Just a couple minutes before going.  Maybe this time it really was them.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Unlikely.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>But what did he have to loose by checking? </p>
</div><div>
  <p>He turned around and went back to the kitchen. </p>
</div>
  </div></div>
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